Потерянный континент: история Атлантиды
9. Phorenice, Goddess
Saveforawispofragabouttheloins,hisbodywasunclothed,andglistenedinthewet.
Butinhishandheheldthatwhichmarkedhiscaste.Withithepointedhissentences,andattimeshewhirleditaboutbathinghiswet,nakedbodyinahalooflight.Itwasawandwhosetipburnedwithanunconsumingfire,whichglowedandtwinkledandblazedlikesomestarsentdownbytheGodsfromtheirownplaceinthehighheaven.ItwastheSymbolofourLordtheSun,acredentialnoonecouldforge,andoneonwhichnocivilisedmanwouldcastadoubt.
Indeed,theraggedfranticcrewdidnotquestionforonemomentthathewasamemberoftheClanofPriests,theClanwhichfromtimeoutofnumberinghadgivenrulersfortheland,andevenintheirloudestclamourstheyfreelyacknowledgedhispowers.“Youmaykilluswithyourmagic,ifyouchoose,”theyscreamedathim.Butstubbornlytheyrefusedtocomebacktotheiroldallegiance.“Wehavesufferedtoomanythingstheselateryears,”theycried.“Wearedonewithrulersnowforalways.”
ButformyselfIsawtheoldmanwithadifferentemotion.HerewasZaemonthatwasfathertoNais,ZaemonthathadseenmeyesterdayseatedonthedivanatPhorenice’selbow,andwhoto-daycoulddenouncemeasDeucalionifsohechose.Theserebelshadexpendedanavyintheirwishtokillmefourdaysearlier,andiftheyknewofmynearness,eventhoughNaisweremyadvocate,hercoldreasoningwouldhavehadlittlechanceofanaudiencenow.